1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for detecting abnormalities in medical screenings and, more specifically, to a method for comparing an image obtained during a body scan to stored images in a medical imaging database, whereby abnormalities in the image will be automatically determined by using an iterative algorithm.
2. Description of Related Art
The military establishment has developed an Automated Target Recognition (ATR) technology using thermal imaging and advanced image processing, with an iterative ATR algorithm designed solely for military recognition of targets of regular and known shape and size. Military targets, such as tanks, weapons, wheels, gun barrels, etc., have unique characteristics, and can be easily provided as a database for comparing military target acquisition in real time. These ATR algorithms are designed solely for military target recognition and are simply not suitable for the detection of medical abnormalities, nor is there currently a database of medical abnormalities, with well defined signature features available, which would be conducive to the design of an iterative algorithm.
At the present time, readings of images from body scans depend on the subjective interpretation, abilities and experience of the examining physician, and hence make their reproduction by others extremely difficult. In the case of medical infrared (IR) imaging, also known as thermography, signatures vary widely and lack consistent and regular geometric properties. Even where there are some signatures available, they generally have not been acquired by a standardized protocol and thus do not allow reproducibility of readings, but instead generate unreliable results. It is difficult to recognize targets of this type, for which a priori knowledge of features does not exist, and accordingly, identification and classification of the body abnormality represented by the signature is essentially impossible, which renders the generation of a reliable database essential.